Taking the plunge

[mickeyG]

I am ready as I'll ever be. I have a mbuna tank with about 40 lbs of eco-complete for substrate (like supersoil for plants....plants all gone a year ago). Also an Eheim 2026. Tank is 50gal. I just removed about 99% of the eco-complete and about 80 out of 120 lbs of rocks. Tank is now essentially a bb tank with a handful of hiding places for the mbuna.

Is my tank going to cycle again? And if so - I assume that frequent water changes will keep things ok. Can I add my discus next week, or should I wait a little longer. Dealer will probably hold them for me (considering his very high prices).

As usual thanks

Mike

[Alight]

Yes, it will have at least a mini-cycle. Measure ammonia, nitrites and nitrates to tell you when it is cycled. Do water changes to keep the levels from killing your mbuna.

[tpl*co]

You're not mixing the mbuna with the discus are you? Are you taking them out before the discus? I think they take totally different conditions (plus african cichlid temperment?).

Tina

[mickeyG]

No... I am going to give my mbuna back to the dealer....has a very big store probably 70-100 tanks, mostly chiclid and discus. He will easily find good homes for these mbuna. He gets his discus from Discus Hans in Baltimore MD.

I think that the conditions can be sort of the same for both fish. These mbuna are local USA grown, and have lived most of their life at ph 6.8-7.2 with a kH of about 4 for pH crash protection. This is what I get out of the tap ... big bonus for me!!.